Ok, so...
I won outstanding dissertation for my department! I was asked why my work is important, and of course my answer was too long lol. So here is the entire answer I submitted:
My dissertation experience was one that I will never forget. My dissertation, Disappointed but not Surprised: A Critical Narrative Inquiry of Black Women's Doctoral Experiences in Agricultural and Life Sciences, examined how intersecting marginalized identities shape the experiences of Black women doctoral students at Historically White Institutions, and how those experiences pushed them toward or away from a faculty career.
This work and my persistence to graduation is important because it is important for marginalized folks to see people that look like them in a space. Given that there are so few Black womxn with terminal degrees in agricultural life sciences, my success will hopefully encourage other Black womxn with aspirations of pursuing graduate education in agriculture to do so. Moreover, having undergraduate roots at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) [Aggie Pride!], I know what it means for our community when we continue our education. I and other HBCU alum at Purdue and at other universities experienced a bit of a culture shock when leaving our HBCU and going to an HWI. At our HBCUs, we experienced other Black students showcasing excellence; supportive faculty, staff, and students; and an enhanced sense of belonging. At the HWI, the pervasiveness of whiteness resulted in a diminished sense of belonging, isolation, and imposter syndrome. Many of my dissertation participants shared similar experiences, and much worse. However, for some, sharing their stories gave them a sense of empowerment and healing.
Black womxn are pursuing graduate education at record number; hosever, our graduation rates do not match our enrollment rates. As there is little research on Black womxn in agriculture and life science disciplines at the postsecondary level, my research can contribute to the success of Black womxn pursuing graduate agricultural degrees. One might say that Black womxn do not have what it takes to succeed. This deficit standpoint does not address the poor climate and treatment ant Black womxn endure while at HWIs. When plants die, do we say that the plant didn't have what it takes? No. We look at its environment and assess how we did/did not support and nurture it.
Hopefully my work will encourage Colleges of Agriculture nationwide to reassess their policies and practices that impede the success of Black womxn.
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